Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing this collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the legal community.
Important links
State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Legal Resources Page — Texasbar.com/coronavirus
State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Public Resources Page — Texasbar.com/COVIDHelp
Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program Well-being Resources page — Texasbar.com/remote-well-being
State Bar COVID-19 update: lawyers as ‘essential,’ federal stimulus, and a call for civility — State Bar of Texas President Randy Sorrels and Executive Director Trey Apffel sent the following message to members Friday. — Texas Bar Blog
Texas Supreme Court using Zoom to put oral arguments back on schedule — For the first time in history, the Texas Supreme Court will hear oral arguments not from a nine-seat bench, but instead with video-streamed justices in a Zoom conference. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
Gov. Abbott limited Texas judges’ ability to grant bonds. Opponents say that’s unconstitutional. — Abbott’s order instructs judges in Texas to deny personal bonds to defendants accused of violent crimes or if they had a history of violent crime. — KUT – Austin
Texas troopers begin screening travelers from Louisiana — State troopers started stopping and screening travelers entering Southeast Texas from Louisiana on Sunday, in accordance with an executive order from Gov. Greg Abbot. — The Associated Press
Amid pandemic, a rush for wills and end-of-life documents — Travis County lawyers specializing in end-of-life affairs say in the three weeks since Austin reported its first coronavirus case, they have seen a surge in requests for help with wills and end-of-life legal documents. — Austin American-Statesman
Americans rush to make online wills in the face of the coronavirus pandemic — With COVID-19 impacting more and more Americans, individuals across the country are scrambling to set up wills and end-of-life directives. — CNBC
Breaking up harder to do with coronavirus, divorce experts say — Divorce lawyers, who clocked long hours in the winter to keep up with new filings that poured in after the holidays, say their phones have all but stopped ringing. — Austin American-Statesman
Top 10 from Texas Bar Today: Parallel, boilerplate, and remote — To highlight some of the posts that stand out from the crowd, the editors of Texas Bar Today have created a list from the week’s blog posts of the top ten based on subject matter, writing style, headline, and imagery. — Texas Bar Today
These lawyers are helping North Texas residents facing eviction as the coronavirus upends lives — Mark Melton, a tax attorney with Holland & Knight in Dallas, is leading nearly 60 lawyers who are offering free consultation to uncertain tenants. — The Dallas Morning News
Legal aid programs likely to be hard hit by drop in IOLTA funds, group warns — The National Association of IOLTA Programs is sounding the alarm about an expected drop in funds from Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts and other sources that support legal aid programs. — ABA Journal
Arbitration in the time COVID-19: AAA’s GC says it’s ready for whatever comes — On a typical day, American Arbitration Association arbitrators oversee thousands of live hearings in dozens of locations across the country. Live hearings won’t resume at AAA’s offices until at least the end of May. — Reuters
Texas officials try to clarify who can vote by mail, but they might not be able to just say everyone — Who qualifies to vote by mail during the pandemic? — KUT – Austin
Legal industry loses 1,700 jobs in March — The legal industry lost 1,700 jobs in March, before law firms began to announce layoffs and furloughs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. — ABA Journal
Some law firms delay start of summer associate programs because of novel coronavirus — Some law firms have announced that they are delaying the start date of their summer associate programs and shortening their length because of the COVID-19 pandemic. — ABA Journal
Your clients need attention. But so do the kids — Transitioning to remote work has rattled the entire legal industry, but lawyers with kids, especially women, are facing even more challenges. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
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